


Aftermath

by sakkajagga



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-16
Updated: 2019-05-16
Packaged: 2020-03-06 06:12:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18845266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sakkajagga/pseuds/sakkajagga
Summary: Despite still being shaken up after an unexpected demon ambush, you’re unable to help yourself from tracking down cries for help.  It’s not in you to leave defenseless civilians to die, even at the cost of your own safety; much to the dismay of your boyfriend.  And he isn’t exactly thrilled with what he finds.





	Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> Please do not repost or redistribute my works. If you find them posted anywhere other than my tumblr (sakkajagga) or here on this AO3 account, it has been done so without my permission.

    With every breath you took, it felt like smoke was filling your lungs.  The air was heavy and thick with the scent of burning and blood; a scene right out of a horror film if you’d ever witnessed one.  A nightmare trapping you and keeping you prisoner, no matter what you did to wake up there was a sensation, or a sound, or a smell that reminded you just how real it was.  Staying put was no longer really an option--the van overturned and Lady hauling an unconscious Nico up over her shoulder while you covered them so that she could get the younger woman to safety--wherever _that_ was.  
    The gun in your hand was heavy and daunting, having been pressed firmly against your palm by Nero with one of the most stern looks you’d ever seen him give anyone.  He absolutely insisted you carry his firearm on you for safety even though you protested it would jeopardize his own. Not hearing any of it, the devil hunter had simply forced your hand around the handle and tightened your grip for you before pressing his forehead to yours and muttering a quick, “I’ll be right back.”  Then he was gone, just like that. He’d shown up to pull you and Nico from the smoking van and made sure you were both well enough until Lady had also appeared to aid your rag-tag group. She had tried to joke that it was a good thing that Nico was knocked out from the unexpected attack, since the gunsmith would have lost her mind if she was able to see what had become of the gun she’d made specifically for you.  The thing was mangled; twisted and wrenched up like a cheap chew-toy after the demon spat it out. And while it was very true you felt horrible for letting something Nico made especially for you be ruined...you were rather glad it was the gun and not your hand or face the demon was able to take a bite out of.  
  
     By the time Lady found a place she deemed as ‘safe enough’, you realized that you could barely hear any of the goings-on of the demon ambush anymore.  “You stay here and try to wake up Nico,” Lady instructed as she adjusted Kalina-Ann’s strap over her shoulder once she stood. And just like Nero before her, she too left, obviously to go back to the commotion and help the younger devil hunter.  Wiping a fresh streak of blood leaking down from your hairline away before it could get passed your temple, you knelt down and called softly to the gunsmith. She was breathing, at least, but not much more than that. Even when you reached out to tap her cheek, she did not respond.  In your left hand, you still clutched tightly onto Nero’s gun. It made you feel safer, in a silly way, to have a part of him with you; even if you’d never be able to wield it as effectively as he could. Even with your aim being quite on-target, your own gun had been just a formality--a way to feel safe despite lacking the skill to take on a horde of demons and save a whole city like real devil hunters were capable of.  
    A troubled sound brought you out of your thoughts, “What the...where are we?”  You looked back to see Nico struggling to sit up and leaned over to let her hold onto your arms to pull herself up.  “What the hell happened to you?” she asked, eying the scrapes and streaks of blood on your face.  
    “Don’t you remember?”  
    Her eyes dropped down to your hand holding tight to Blue Rose and then back to your gaze.  “Yeah...yeah, where’s the van? Is it okay??”  
    “I...I don’t know, but you shouldn’t--”  
    “Shaddup and help me up, would ya!?”  Nico was already getting to her feet on her own despite fussing at you to help.  You stood and pulled the gunsmith up, letting her hold onto you still in case she lost her balance.  “C’mon, we gotta make sure my inventions are okay.”  
    “Lady told us to wait here--”  
    “Just come on already!  We’ll stay outta the way, okay?”  Even though you were were still skeptical about Nico being well enough to walk, you knew better than to argue with her once she’d made up her mind.  Instead you just fell into step with her, on her left side so that your (free) right hand would be ready to grab her should she need your help. “What’s with your boyfriend’s gun?” she asked once the silence had drug on too long for her liking, “Why d’you have it?”  You visibly flinched, not wanting to tell her just yet that the gun she’d made for you was now nothing more than a useless wad of metal. Before you could tell her it was because it made you feel safe--not really a lie, after all--she cut in again, “Oh my god, what happened to _your_ gun!?”  
    “..a demon…  I’m sorry, Nico.”  
    Nico sighed in exaggerated exasperation, “Do you know how hard and long I worked on that beautiful little trinket to make sure the kickback wasn’t too strong for your delicate baby hands and _still_ be powerful enough to cap a demon!?”  
    “...I’m sorry...I really am.  I was going to shoot it, but it snatched and ate it before I got the chance…”  Just proof that even the best arsenal was still useless in the hands of an inexperienced amatuer hunter...if you could even be considered one.  You’d take pot shots every now and then when necessary, but for the most part you were not included in the fray--much to Nero’s elation. He hated you getting involved or anywhere near battles.  He was even anxious about you making deliveries--which is what happened today. A worst case scenario come true, attacked while bringing him more Devil Breakers and supplies. In this case, however, you figured it was lucky that you were along for the trip, otherwise who knows what would have happened to Nico if you hadn’t been there to at least keep the demons from immediately focusing on her.  
    Nico once again brought you out of your thoughts when she clapped a hand on your shoulder.  “Are you even listenin’!?”  
    “Y-yeah, sorry…  I was just thinking…”  
    “Well, anyway, like I was sayin’, I’m thinkin’ somethin’ more like a rifle for you.  That way you can keep your distance, but you can still help. You’ve got pretty good aim for a wimp.  You should use that.”  
    “I’ll keep that in mind,” you responded with a small laugh.  You honestly liked that even though you were what she called ‘the quiet type’, Nico still found ways to talk to you the way she spoke to everyone.  She knew almost as well as Nero how you wouldn’t hesitate to jump into danger to save someone who couldn’t defend themselves and that you were far from a coward, but she still teased you for being a wimp for not being as strong as Nero, or an amateur hunter for not being as experienced as Lady.  It just felt nice to feel... _included_ instead of tolerated.  It made you think back on the times Nero has chastised you, saying your selflessness was going to get you killed one day--like he had any room to talk!

    When you two finally made it back to the RV, Nico let out a horrid shriek that made you immediately aim in the direction she was facing, ready and looking for the demon that scared her.  Instead, she rushed ahead and threw her hands up at the sight of the RV turned over before ordering you over to help her get the van right side-up again. At the technical top of the vehicle, you both strained and lifted and pushed, only to move it slightly.  There was no way two normal humans were going to able to do this. Agreeing to wait for Nero’s return, Nico opted to filling the time until then with climbing into the sideways RV to begin assessing the damages and just how angry she was going to be for the next few days.  
    “Nico,” you held up your hand to signal for silence, then spoke up again after a few tense moments, “Did you hear that??”  
    “Hear _what_?” she said, looking up at you from your spot perched on the side of the RV to look out for danger while she was inside.  
    You didn’t respond, concentrating on listening for that noise again, and almost writing it off as your imagination till you heard it once more, “There..!  It was a woman screaming!”  
    “What are you talking about, I don’t hear anyth--HEY!”  When she looked up again, she was greeted by the sight of you leaping down from the van and taking off in a sprint as soon as your feet hit the ground towards the sounds of distress.  “Get back here!” she futilely called after you, “Nero’s gonna be so pissed!!”  
    But if someone needed saving, you couldn’t just stand by.  You know it’s what Nero would have done in your position, and you knew he’d understand your adamant need to not let defenseless people die without _some_ attempt to save them.

    You were able to find the woman, terrified and scrambling through the ruined streets to find safety.  You were also just in time to witness the demons in pursuit catching up to her; one lunging out into the air and slamming down just close enough to cause her to lose her balance and fall hard against the ground, screaming the whole while.  Blue Rose wasn’t quite as long range as your gun had been, which meant you needed to get closer. But with so little time to react, you didn’t even think as you rushed in, gun raised and poised in front of you. You first took out the demon closest to her, blowing its brains right out the back of its head as you shouted at the women to get up.  When fear paralyzed her, it left you with no choice but to move in even closer, firing and killing two more, but that still left the other two and the additional clip you had was in your back pocket still. You really wished in this moment you’d thought to grab more ammo and knew it was stupid to only carry one more extra set but the self deprecation would have to wait till later.  With the woman unable to overcome the terror of being so close to dying and refusing to move on her own, you reached down and quickly pulled her up to her feet. She didn’t even seem to register what was actually happening, beginning to immediately scream at you and started fighting with all her strength to force you to let her go in spite of you trying to talk over her to let her know that you were here to save her.  Not that you could blame her, the poor woman was terrified--if not completely traumatized--but her struggling was stealing your focus from the remaining demons and your grip on Blue Rose. It wasn’t until the demon’s vile-breathed shriek alerted you to its attack that you snapped back to reality; looking up just in time to see it’s jagged claw raised up and arch down at such a speed your eyes couldn’t even follow. Your only instinct was to push her out of the way so that the insect-like pincer was only able to slash at you instead.  It caught across the ribs despite your attempt to move out of the way. Unfortunately you weren’t able to just handle attacks like the devil hunters you worked with. The force of the strike sent you to the crashing to the ground, even though the pain would have been enough to do so on its own. Blood gushed from the cut, immediately soaking your torn shirt, but you were still able to tighten your grip on Blue Rose and lift the heavy gun to shoot the demon at point blank range.  
    _Click!_  
    Your heart sank.  
    _Click--click--click!!_  
    Watching with horrified disbelief as the chamber spun and no bullet fired, you then remembered the spare rounds in your back pocket.  Blue Rose was double-barreled...three shots compared to the eight you were used to out of your own gun. Your vision blurred and was swimming, mind racing to try and think of something to do as the woman tried avoiding getting killed by the other demon not occupied with you.  The mutated insect demon pierced the air with its cry again as it raised the same claw, preparing to finish the job until a large, spectral blue hand was suddenly grabbing it by the neck and torso. The angry shout that accompanied it was so familiar, but somehow distorted to your ears, making you think that attack did more damage than you first thought.  You didn’t know how, but somehow the demon looked terrified on all three of its faces as it was ripped from its spot looming over you before being viciously slammed down into the rubble once, twice, three times before suddenly there was another, more imposing demon jumping down on the mutated insect’s back and kicking it away. The demon then lept over and just as effortlessly disposed of the lingering Empusa, not stopping the woman who scrambled away.   _‘Funny…,’_ you thought to yourself as you waited for the demon to take your life next, _‘I didn’t think demons had angel wings…’_  
    “ _Y/N_!!” It said instead of striking you with a killing blow, rushing back over to you.  “Shit! Can you move!?”  
    Trying not to make any sudden movements, you studied its voice and face, focusing in on the nose and jaw and their equally familiar structure.  
    It dropped to one knee and moved a clawed hand out to you, which you immediately flinched away from.  It caused the demon to pause and just look at you for a (what felt like a long time due to the pain) moment as if it was studying you as well.  Its long, silver hair fell around that concerned expression as its translucent wings curled inward before the claws settled on its shoulders; its burning, glowing gaze finally dropping to its own hand.  Something pained flashed through those unnatural eyes, the demon growling another curse before it’s body started glowing a faint hue of blue the same as its wings. “Sorry, Y/N,” he said as his body phased from the beastly form to his usual figure in a rippling of blue light; revealing Nero as you knew him.  Even though it felt like an eternity, this had only gone on for a minute or two, and Nero wasted no more time in taking a look at the wound. “It’s not so deep…,” he murmured, sounding relieved. “Can you stand?”  
    You’d been holding back the pain all this time, not wanting to show a demon weakness and fear, and finally let it show on your face.  “Y-Yeah...I think...so…”  
    “C’mon then,” Nero didn’t wait for your word and simply hauled you up onyour feet; immediately putting his arm around you and let you keep pressure on the wound with your free hand.  In your left, you still held tight to Blue Rose despite it being devoid of ammo, and the devil hunter had yet to even acknowledge it. He was much more concerned with getting you back to the van, but it seemed he just couldn’t help himself while he had you alone.  “Just what the hell were you thinking, anyway? You _trying_ to get yourself killed??”  
    “She...she needed h-help,” you ground out through gritted teeth, making it sound like you were angry.  “Couldn’t let her...die…”  
    “Idiot,” Nero muttered.  “What would you have done if I hadn’t heard her too??”  Your silence didn’t please him. “Damnmit, Y/N, I’m serious!”  
    You ducked you head in an attempt to hide your expression.  The answer was obvious: you would have died there if Nero hadn’t shown up, vicious as he did.  You were embarrassed, not because he was fussing at you, but of how weak you felt. In normal, _human_ , standards, you were considered rather strong, resilient if nothing else.  But compared to Nero and the others... There was a new feeling of uselessness you weren’t accustomed to yet.  
    “Playing the damn hero all the time is gonna get you killed, Y/N!”  
    “You would’ve...done the s-same…”  
    His grip tightened on you when it felt like your leg was going to fail on you and pulled you even closer against his side.  “That’s different! I’m not we--”  
    Nero stopped when you did, even though you were hurting like hell, you refused to let him lead you along and just looked at him, trying to not let the hurt show in your eyes, and purposefully waited for him to finish.  But the silver haired man wasn’t saying anything else, gaze averted and gently tugging on you to silently imply that you should continue walking. “F-finish what you were...going to say…”  
    Nero clenched his jaw, lips pursing into a thin line, but said nothing.  
    You fought the urge to double over at a particularly strong stab of pain; silently hoping that your wound wasn’t infected with some kind of poison.  You could tell that he regretted even thinking it, but he wasn’t looking at you still, so you lifted you hand in an obvious motion before spinning Blue Rose so that the grip was poised for him to take.  
    He begrudgingly looked at his gun before he took it back, shoving it in his holster without reloading.  After, you gave into his insistence, letting him pull you against him as you both made your way back to the RV, now it total silence.

    “Jesus _Christ_ , Y/N!”  Nico nearly shouted when she realized that you and Nero weren’t just being lovey-dovey to gross her out, but that he was supporting your weight and keeping you from stumbling.  He released you once close enough and didn’t stop Nico from coming over to start fussing over you running off like a crazy person. After the on-hold argument lingering between you and Nero, her words about being reckless and stupid for wanting to save a civilian’s life cut particularly deep.  You didn’t even respond; just sat down on the nearest stable surface and clutched your ribs and side as the RV was suddenly tipping rightside up again. Both Nico and Nero went inside, presumably to look at damages and seek out the first aid kit that was so rarely used it might even had been repurposed for something else by now.  Inside, you could faintly hear their voices, only able to make out bits and pieces of what they were saying thanks to the rise and fall of their tones. You could hear Nico the most, unsurprisingly, hearing the words ‘lay off’ and ‘was just trying to help’ more clearly than anything else until they were exiting again. She pushed a white box into Nero’s hands with purpose before announcing, “I’m gonna look around.  See if Lady’s finished up too. Maybe _she_ thought to grab me something useful!”  It couldn’t be more obvious that she could probably _see_ the tension between you two, and either refused to get caught up in it, or was forcing you two to deal with it like adults.  
    With a huff, Nero moved until he was right in front of you.  “Lose the shirt,” he demanded, in definitely _not_ the most appealing way he’s ever suggested that to you.  
    You did so without fuss, but not without difficulty.  Luckily your sluggish movements didn’t piss him off, because you were fairly certain that if he tried to ‘help’ by pulling it off for you, it would have hurt like hell.  And you did so silently.  
    Dropping to one knee, he didn’t waste any time getting to wiping at the blood--using your already ruined shirt--before starting to clean the gash.  He clicked his tongue in disapproval, murmuring only once you looked down at him from stretching your arms up to give him room to work, “That was my favorite shirt on you too…”  He paused when you flinched and hissed quietly, from his hands working a little too roughly. “You wanna finish it?” You chose to believe that he didn’t mean for it to sound _that_ annoyed.  
    “No,” you answered flatly, quite honestly enjoying the attention even if he was being rough from being angry still, “Go ahead.”  Wrapping the wound after finishing cleaning and dressing it put him closer in your space. It was hard to resist bringing your arms down to trap him in a hug, but you were still too hurt from his almost admittance of thinking of you as a weakling that needed to be protected.  If anything, some distance to contemplate everything was probably your best next course of action.  
    Maybe he was thinking the same thing, because Nero didn’t move to touch you anymore than necessary as he finished up; making sure the wrapping was tight enough to stay in place before standing in front of you again.  He tossed the box next to you, in case you wanted anything else out of it. You figured he’d walk away, but he was just standing there, maybe waiting for you to say something else, but you just kept looking forward. He followed your gaze to his, now completely normal looking, right arm; moving it behind him deliberately, reminiscent of when he was younger and would catch anyone looking at his Devil Bringer.  For some reason, it made you look up, gazes catching. Your eyes didn’t stay on his for very long, however, moving to each part of his face, his hair, his shoulders, his chest--clearly reimagining the demon form he’d been hiding from you up to this point. And clearly annoying him. Nero clicked his tongue again, “You think I’m a demon?”  
    “You think I’m a weakling?” you followed up without missing a beat.  
    He sighed, heavily and tired as he pinched the bridge of his nose, “Y/N…  That’s not even what I was gonna say.”  
    “You said…  You rushing in blindly is different.  Because you’re not weak.” He wasn’t looking for a long moment still, but when he finally did make eye contact again, you continued, “You helping people is different than me helping them.  Because I’m weak, compared to you.”  
    “Christ, Y/N, that’s not what I meant.”  You said nothing, clearly needing to hear more than just that.  “You’re a _human_ , you big, fucking baby.  You weren’t born with the power to hold off a _horde_ of demons.  Even Lady can’t fight a big enough horde alone!”  
    “ _You’re_ a human, too!” You blurted out in response, “Partly, or not, you’re not indestructible!”  Nero’s brows rose, as if he was legitimately surprised to hear this coming from you, of all people.  You wrapped your arms back around your midsection; raising your voice like that having made it throb even worse.  
    “I can’t lose you, Y/N,” Nero’s voice was as soft as it was sudden.  “You know it’s why I don’t want you to--”  
    “I feel the same.”  That much shouldn’t have been a surprise to him.  You’d never begged him to stay and give up his line of work, but it didn’t mean you didn’t worry the entire time he was gone.  “But I _can_ help.  I _can_ save people, too.”  You gaze drifted down back to his right arm that wasn’t hidden anymore.  “Be it from other people, or from demons. I can’t just sit back and do nothing.”  You were clearly thinking back to your personal hardships; losing your family to a demonic attack, and the fellow humans who would take advantage of that.  So much so that you hadn’t realized that Nero had knelt down again until he was covering your hands with one of his own.  
    “I wasn’t calling _you_ weak.  But humans are...kinda fragile.  Even you have to admit that. It’s why you feel the need to throw yourself face first into danger to rescue them, right?”  
    You couldn’t look away from him; the expression he was making; the look in his eyes.  You forwent saying he does the exact same thing because his point remained the same. Nero could take a blade to the gut and not die immediately.  He could easily swoop into a bad situation and save the day without ever getting hurt. “Thank you for saving me,” you said instead.  
    Nero sucked his teeth, rolling his eyes as he huffed at you, “Shut up.  Like you need to thank me for that.” He moved to stand again but your hand suddenly grabbing his made him sit still, looking from your fingers intertwining with his and back to your face.  
    “You’re not a demon, Nero.”  You watched his face change, soften really, with recognition.  “Even if you were, you’d always still just be Nero to me.”  
    His fingers tightened around yours, resisting the urge to pull you in for a hug due to your injury.  He instead opted for leaning in, resting his forehead against yours with a gentle nudge. “Thanks.”  
    You nudged him back, sucking your teeth in the same way he had, “Like you need to thank me for that, dummy.”


End file.
